Orthodontic pliers



May l, 1945- J. w. FLANAGAN 2375-094" ORTHODONTIG PLIERS Filed Sept. 29, 1943 l'mventor 27 fo/m M Flaix/(azz p/ Bu Gttorneg Patented May 1 1945 UNITED ISTATES PATENT OFFICE l 2,375,094 a a oRTnoDoNTIoruEits John Flanagan, Philadelphiala., assigner toy A The S. S.` White Dental Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania a 1 Application September 29, 1943, Serial No. 504,203

v geminis. (c1. azfcc) My invention relates particularly to that class of orthodontic pliers Vthat are adapted to the forming of tooth-bands for orthodontic purposes and is especially directed to essential features designed to facilitate the holding of `the strip of band material while beingapplied toV conform to a tooth to whichit is to be subsequently attached.

In the practice of Orthodontics it is highly essential in forming a tooth-band that the strip of band material shall be drawn extremely taut around the tooth to which it is to be adapted, so that it may be caused to accurately conform thereto, and, as the tooth-band is preferably formed of a rare metal and consequently expensive, it is desirable that the strips forming the bands may be as lshort as possible to avoid waste:

The principal objects of my invention are to provide band forming pliers that have beaks adapted to conveniently apply tooth-band strip material to any desired tooth of the dental arch, and to firmly hold the extreme end ofthe strip of band forming material in one of its beaks while the other of its, beaks draws the strip taut around the tooth to form the bandin conformity with the tooth surface.

Other objects` of my invention are -to provide band forming pliers with screw clamping means wherein the screw directly and positively engages the end of the strip of band forming material and wherein said strip is bent over an edge of the band holding beak to insure a nonslipping engagement of said strip and beak. g

Specifically stated, the form of my invention as hereinafter described comprises a. pair of pivoted handles having opposed beaks, one being provided with a slot to receive the end region of a strip of band material and having a set screw extended into said slot to engage said strip-therein, and the other beak serving to draw the strip around a tooth to be banded by frictional engagement of said beak with said strip when `the handles are caused to relatively approach to effect occlusal relative approach of said beaks.

My invention also includes all of the various novel features of construction and arrangement as hereinafter more definitely specified.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of band forming pliers conveniently embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the pliers shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3

is a side elevational view` of said pliers as viewed from the near side of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of said pliers normally closed as indicated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive; Fig. 5 isa transverse sectional View taken'along the axis of theband holding set screw on the line 5`5 of Fig. 3, and showing the band engaged therein by said set screw, and being drawn taut about a molar tooth; and Fig. 6 is a, perspective view of the band formed as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In said ligures the relatively movable members 9 and I0 of the band forming pliers are pivoted at 1, and respectively have the rearwardly extended handles I 2 and I3 and forwardly extended relatively opposed beaks I54 and I6` which preferably curve downwardly, as best illustrated in Figs. land 3.

The beak I5 is provided at its forward region with an enlargementll extending laterally into engagement with the inner face I9 of the beak I6, and said enlargement is provided with the threaded aperture 2U, see Fig. 5, to receive the set screw 2| having the `knurled head 22.

`Said threaded aperture 20 terminates in the slot which extends longitudinally through the inner face 26 of the enlargement I1 on the beak y I5 and said slot is arranged to receive the end V ,region 2l of the strip of band` forming material 29, and while saidlend region is engaged by said set screw 2I and the strip 29 otherwise held, as by the operator, said strip may be drawn taut I about the tooth 30 by pressing the handles I2 and I3 together and causing the beaks I5Iand I6 to relatively approach, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the strip of band material is bent sharply around the inner edge 3l of the slotted beak I5 to assist the set screw in securing said strip and prevent it from accidentally slipping, to form the loop 32 about the tooth 30. a

As shown in Figs. 1 and'3, the beaks I5 and I6 terminate in the curved end face 33 which is so curved as to better conform the loop 32 to the longitudinal curvature ofthe crown of the tooth 30 to which the ultimately completed band is to be applied.

I do not desire to limit 'my invention to the precise details of yconstruction and arrangement as herein set forth, as it is obvious that various .modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention as dened in the appended claims'.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An implement of the class described com# prising relatively pivoted members respectively having handles and relatively opposed operatively occluding beaks, one of said beaks having a slot inits occlusal face normally closed by the opposing beak and having a threaded aperture terminating in saidslot, a set screw adjustably engaged in said `aperture and arranged to engage the end region of a strip of sheet material inserted in said slot.

2. An implement of the class described comprising relatively pivoted members respectively having handles and relatively opposed operatively occluding beaks, terminating in concaved surfaces, one of said beaks serving as an anvil and the other having a slot extended longitudinally in its occlusalk face and having a threaded aperture terminating in said' slot, a set screw adjustably engaged in said aperture and arranged to engage the end region of a strip of sheet material inserted in said slot, while the intermediate region of said strip slides on the anvil beak as said beaks are caused to relatively approach to form the strip around a tooth.

3. An implement of the class described comprising relatively pivoted members respectively having handles and relatively opposed beaks curving laterally and terminating in concaved outer faces, one of said beaks having a substantially plane occlusal face serving as an anvil tending to approach the opposing beak when said handles relatively approach each other and the other having a recess in its occlusal face and also having a threaded aperture extending into said recess, and a set screw adjustably engaged in said aperture.

4. An implement of the class described comprising relatively movable members, one serving as an anvil against which the other may be forced, the latter having a recess arranged to receive the end of a strip of sheet material, and having a threaded aperture terminating in said recess, a set screw adjustably engaged in said aperture arranged to engage one end of said strip, and means comprising handle grips on said members which when manually forced together tend to effect their relative occlusion While the anvil slidably engages the free portion of said strip to form a tooth band.

. JOHN W. FLANAGAN. 

